


When Cupid Aims His Shotgun

by darkin520



Category: seaQuest
Genre: F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2016-02-26
Packaged: 2018-05-23 09:14:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6111877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkin520/pseuds/darkin520
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gift!fic for MadameGiry25. Set between Hide and Seek and The Last Lap At Luxury, a mission with some interesting requirements causes trouble for our favorite captain and doctor. But in the end, they might decide that it's all worth it. *COMPLETE*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MadameGiry25](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadameGiry25/gifts).



"I can't believe you!" Kristin yelled as she slammed the door to their room behind her. "How in the world could you say those things about me?"

"Honey, I think you're blowing things out of proportion a bit," Nathan replied.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh, really? So you don't think I'm cold-hearted, self-absorbed, stubborn bull?"

"I…I never said self-absorbed."

She rolled her eyes. "You may as well have."

"Well, _someone_ had to say something in there. You've forgotten we're supposed to be here to work on our marriage. That can't happen if you won't say anything to the therapist."

"You know perfectly well why I didn't say anything. I wasn't going to make up lies about you."

"I didn't make up lies either."

Her anger faded as her voice grew quiet. "So…so you really think I'm cold-hearted and stubborn?"

"Stubborn, of course; you know you are. But I didn't say you were cold-hearted. I said you could _act_ very cold-hearted," Nathan corrected.

"I don't see the difference," she said with a shake of her head.

Nathan gave a shrug. "Well, you have been acting a little cold lately. You won't even let me share the bed."

"I offered you the bed, and you know why we're not sharing. And if you wanted it so badly, why didn't you say something before?"

"Because I was trying to be a considerate husband."

"Ha! If that isn't the biggest lie I've ever heard." She pulled her ring off and threw it at him. "There, now you don't need to worry about being married to me." She then walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her and being sure to lock it.

A moment later, she heard knocking. "Kris! Come on, don't do this. You…you don't mean that. It was…just a little misunderstanding. We can work this out."

"I don't want to work it out! I want to go home!" Kristin cried.

"You know perfectly well why we can't do that yet." He jiggled the doorknob. "Can…can I come in, please?"

She paused. "I…I'd really just rather be alone for the moment."

"Fine," she heard him say through clenched teeth. "Have it your way. I'll let you have plenty of alone time."

She then heard his departing footsteps and the loud click of the door. She let out a deep breath and swallowed the lump in her throat; she then opened the door to the empty room and looked around. She noticed her ring sitting on the table.

She picked it up and slipped it back on and let out another sigh. She knew it wasn't Nathan's fault exactly, but things had gone from bad to worse so quickly. If she had known what was going to happen, she'd never have agreed to this. But it had seemed like such a wonderful idea at the time…

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

_**Three days ago** _

" _Admiral on board!" Crocker announced as Admiral Noyce made his way through launch bay._

_As he and Nathan walked towards the ward room, Noyce said, "I know you're wondering why I'm here, but I won't keep you in suspense much longer. We need to speak privately."_

" _This sounds serious," Nathan said as he led him to his quarters. "Please, tell me it's not bad news."_

_Once inside the captain's quarters, Bill laughed. "Not as bad as you might think. It's nothing to do with your performance or that of the crewmembers. You're all doing a fantastic job."_

" _Oh, what a relief." Nathan's brow furrowed. "Then why are you here exactly?"_

" _A mission."_

" _A mission? Since when do you need to come on board for that?"_

" _Since this one is a bit more complicated than what you're used to. And I need to ask a favor of one of our civilians as well."_

" _Okay, but I'm a little confused…"_

" _Just call Dr. Westphalen in here, and it will make sense soon," Bill said._

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

_Once Kristin had arrived, Bill utilized the screen and showed them a picture of an underwater colony. "This is known as Cupid's Paradise."_

" _Cupid's Paradise?" Kristin muttered. "Sounds like an odd name for an underwater colony."_

" _Well, it's a special kind of colony. It's more like a facility, and it specializes in marriage counseling and couples' therapy."_

_Nathan and Kristin exchanged a glance._

" _Doesn't really seem like something that would raise any red flags," Nathan stated._

" _Normally not, no. But the founder of the colony, Xavier Blanchard, is suspected of illegal arms dealing. The UEO's been watching him for a while, but no one can get close to him. He hides behind that ridiculous colony. And that's where you two come in."_

" _And how exactly do we do that?" Nathan asked. "Pretend to be married?"_

" _Exactly."_

" _I was joking."_

" _I wasn't." Bill turned to Kristin. "Certainly, you're not required to do this as a civilian, but the UEO strongly encourages it. And if you agree, they're willing to forget all about that little torpedo incident."_

_Kristin sighed. "So it's a bit of blackmail."_

" _No, of course not. Just call it a trade. And since you're a civilian, no one will suspect you."_

_But Nathan shook his head. "I have no problem going there, but the doctor isn't."_

" _Now just a moment," Kristin protested. "What gives you the right to say what I do or don't-"_

" _It's too dangerous," Nathan said, holding up a hand. "We don't know anything about this guy, save for that he may or may not be involved in illegal arms dealing."_

" _I understand your concerns, Nathan, but I assure you, we'll take all the necessary safety precautions. And she won't be out of your sight for a moment. We'll have you both wearing wires and-"_

" _Wires? What happens if someone finds out?" Nathan interrupted._

" _They won't. As I said, the UEO's been watching him. They already know how he works. I doubt you two will be gone much more than twenty-four hours. You'll be back here before you know it. We'll have you both wearing wires with a team setup in a nearby location. As soon as we get enough evidence to nail Blanchard, you and the doctor will be whisked off to safety, unscathed. What do you say?"_

" _Give us a moment, please," Nathan said, pulling Kristin to the other side of the room. "Don't think you have to agree. I'm sure you'd rather not be involved."_

" _On the contrary, Captain, I'm happy to help."_

_Nathan raised a brow. "What?"_

" _Well, like the admiral said, it shouldn't take long. And I'd do anything to stop them from whining about those ridiculous torpedoes. And we'll be together the whole time."_

" _It could be dangerous."_

" _So is eating in the mess hall, and we seem to do all right," she said with a smile. "You don't need to worry. I'm a big girl. I know what I'm doing. Everything will be fine."_

" _You're sure?"_

" _Of course. Why? Are you afraid of being fake married to me?" She gave his arm a gentle push._

" _Of course not. I just…wanted to make sure you were sure." He ushered her back towards the admiral._

" _Well?" Bill asked hopefully._

" _We'll do it," Nathan told him._

" _Fabulous!" the admiral gushed. He opened up a case and took out rings, identification, and even a marriage license._

" _Already assumed we'd agree, did you?" Nathan asked, nodding his head towards the documents._

" _We were just very hopeful. Now, you two are now Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Murphy. You've been married for fifteen years and are having a bit of trouble in the communication department…"_

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Kristin sat down on the bed. Cupid's Paradise had been anything but. And they'd never seen a glimpse of Blanchard or any signs of arms dealing whatsoever; it seemed like this had been a complete waste of time. All it had done was cause a rift in their friendship and make them both miserable. She finally let a few bitter tears slip when the door opened. She quickly wiped her eyes, hoping he didn't see.

"Glad to see you've finally come out of the bathroom," he muttered.

"I…was thinking of taking a little nap," she said quietly. "I haven't been sleeping very well."

"Well, perhaps if you had the whole room to yourself…"

She sighed. "I never told you that you had to sleep on the couch, you know?"

Nathan sat down beside her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I know, and I'm sorry about the therapy session. I was just…acting, like we're supposed to. I thought you'd follow my lead."

She shrugged. "You seemed like you were being sincere…"

"Of course not. I was just caught up in the moment." He paused. "I brought you something?"

She turned to him. "Roses? Where did you get those?"

"At the gift shop in the 'when husbands act like idiots' section," he told her.

She laughed and took them from him. "They do smell good. Red roses are my favorite."

"I know." He sighed. "Look, I know this isn't exactly what we bargained for, but if we're going to do this, we need to remember to keep our cool. The faster we figure this out, the faster we can go home."

"And back to our own lives."

"Exactly. And that means we need to do more research. We're not the only couple here, remember?"

Kristin gave a soft laugh. "Yes, we've met some of them, but I seriously doubt Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton are suspects." Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton were the neighbors from across the hall and were both in their eighties.

"Maybe not, but we can't rule anyone out. Remember what the therapist said?"

She shook her head. "I was too busy stewing."

"He said we need to work on doing things together. So let's go and explore the colony. We've been stuck in this room most of the time. We need to see what we can see, hm? And besides, I'm sure you're hungry. Maybe a little dancing afterwards?"

"That sounds lovely on one condition."

"What's that?"

"Tonight, you take the bed. I don't want you thinking I'm cold-hearted anymore."

"Kris, I already told you I didn't mean it…"

"I don't care."

Nathan sighed. "We'll just see which of us is more tired later, okay? Now, go get changed, Mrs. Murphy."


	2. Chapter 2

"My, you look lovely, darling," Nathan gushed, offering his arm. His 'wife' wore a dark green cocktail dress with a matching wrap around her shoulders while he wore a black pair of dress pants, a white shirt, and a black tie.

She laughed softly. "Thank you; you don't look too bad yourself," she replied, accepting his arm. "I know this isn't quite what we bargained for, but I could think of worse people to be pretend married to."

"Like Ben?" he teased.

She nodded. "How are we going to go about this exactly?"

He gave her a wink. "We go down to the dining room and we eat; you do remember how it's done, don't you?"

She shook her head. "That's not what I meant, and you know it. I meant meeting the other couples." She bit her bottom lip in worry. "Won't they suspect something if we bombard them with questions?"

"Oh…" He gave her arm a squeeze. "Just follow my lead; there's nothing to worry about. No one will suspect."

By the time they got to the dining room, however, they immediately discovered a problem, for the couples weren't sitting with each other at all. There was a small group of women seated at a table in the corner of the room. Directly on the other sat a small group of men.

"Oh, dear," Kristin muttered. "Do you think we have to do the same?"

He shook his head. "Of course not; why would we-"

"Oh, look, Henry; we have some fresh meat."

They both spun around to see a middle-aged couple. Ironically, they looked like Morticia and Gomez Addams; the woman was a tall, thin brunette with dark hair flowing down her back. She wore a long, black dress that flared at the bottom. Henry also had dark hair parted down the center and a pencil mustache; he was dressed in a dark suit and tie. Kristin half-expected a disembodied hand to come walking along the floor at any moment.

"I see that, Clarissa," Henry replied with a smile. "I'm so glad to see you could join us for dinner."

"We're much obliged," Nathan replied, "though we were wondering why none of the couples were sitting together."

They both laughed, as if men and women eating together was a foreign concept.

Nathan and Kristin exchanged a confused glance.

"You must have missed that part in the brochure," Clarissa finally said. "We believe that when men and women are a couple, they put too much emphasis on that other person, forgetting that there are other people that exist outside of that relationship. Therefore, we prefer socialization and meals to be done separately. It's our way of teaching the men and women that they can be independent of their other half. Besides, you've heard the expression that absence makes the heart grow fonder, haven't you?"

"Oh, but we…we haven't eaten with each other for so long," Kristin protested. "You see, with-"

But Clarissa held up a hand. "On the last day, we bring the couples together here and allow you to share a meal, and we find that our couples are much happier. The lines of communication are opened." She took Kristin's hand and ushered her towards the other side of the room. "I'm sure you and the other ladies will get along swimmingly."

Kristin looked over her shoulder to give Nathan a look.

 _Everything will be fine,_ he mouthed.

She sighed, hoping he was right.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

"Ladies, I'd like you to meet…" Clarissa began.

Kristin gave the group a smile. "Kristin. Kristin Murphy."

"Hello, Kristin," a young, blonde woman said. "My name's Jodi Simmons. Have a seat." She patted the space next to her.

Kristin cast a glance towards the men's table once more before sitting.

"I'm Jenny Evans," said a pretty redhead sitting across from her. "And this is Anna Cummings; she's a little shy."

The young brunette gave Kristin a small smile as an older blonde moved forward, extending her hand. "And I'm Susan Harrington."

Kristin shook her hand. "It's lovely to meet all of you." She turned to Mrs. Hamilton, who'd been quiet. "And we've met before."

"What was that, dear?" the old woman said.

"Mrs. Hamilton is a bit hard of hearing," Susan whispered in her ear.

"You're our neighbor from across the hall," Kristin said louder this time. "We met yesterday. I'm Kristin Murphy."

"Oh, yes, I remember now," Mrs. Hamilton replied. "But you can call me Estelle."

"Very well, Estelle."

"Well, I can see you're in good hands," Clarissa said. "See, you can have fun without your husband. This is what this is all about. Have fun." She then turned to leave.

"Is this your first time, dear?" Susan asked.

Kristin's brow furrowed. "First time?"

"At Cupid's Paradise, I mean."

"Oh…y-yes." She paused. "You mean some of you have come back more than once?"

"Harold and I have been coming here for about…ten years," Mrs. Hamilton said.

"And this is our eighth year," added Susan. "Doug and I feel it brings us closer together."

"This is our second," Anna replied quietly.

Jodi gave a nod. "And our fourth."

Kristin reflected on this for a moment. Perhaps she could indeed ask a few questions, even though she and Nathan had been separated. She doubted the others would suspect if she played her cards right. "So Mr. Blanchard must be amazing at what he does then?"

"Actually I wouldn't know," Susan replied. "In all the years we've been coming here, I've only met him twice."

Kristin raised a brow. "Why is that? He owns this facility, yet he doesn't make much of an effort to see how it's running?"

"Xavier is extremely busy."

Kristin jumped slightly upon hearing Clarissa's voice behind her. She spun around to look at her.

"He has other colonies he manages," she continued. "But you needn't worry. All of the employees here are all dedicated to bringing our couples closer together. I promise by the time you leave, you'll forget you and your husband ever had any troubles."

"I was just under the impression Mr. Blanchard would be running some of our sessions."

"I wish it were possible. Believe me, you haven't lived until you've attended a session run by Xavier. He really is the master. Unfortunately, it just isn't possible. Only the very lucky have that privilege."

"I understand." Kristin glanced towards the men's table. Nathan was engaged in conversation with the others, though she had no idea what they were talking about. And at this point, she couldn't tell if Mr. Blanchard was indeed their suspect or not. Elusiveness didn't necessarily ensure guilt. Perhaps the Morticia and Gomez wannabes were the suspects…or even Susan and Doug. If they all kept coming back year after year, it could very well be for weapons dealing rather than therapy. She bit her lip and tried to think of some more questions she could ask without seeming obvious, only the waiters brought salads and dinner rolls out. The conversation then shifted to comments about the meal, meaning she had likely lost her chance. She let out a sigh, hoping Nathan was making better headway than she. If not, they might be in Cupid's Paradise a bit longer than they anticipated.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

After dinner came a fifteen minute mediation session in which everyone was forced to have quiet time. There was some nonsense about how one was supposed to cosmically connect with his or he partner through the meditation, but she found that rather laughable, doubting such a thing could really help couples in discord. She knew such a silly thing could never have saved her marriage to her ex-husband, though he'd never been keen on rekindling. But that ship had sailed years ago, so there was no sense pondering it, she decided.

Instead, she used the rest of her quiet time to try to consider suspects and possible accomplices. She wondered if Nathan was doing the same but then decided he had to be. What else could he be doing? Morticia and Gomez were suspects for sure. Maybe they weren't even married. Clarissa seemed rather enamored with Xavier, almost as though she was in love with him. That was definitely something to look into. Clarissa and Henry had spent some time over at the men's table as well, so she hoped Nathan noticed the same thing.

The Hamilitons were definitely innocent. And she doubted Anna and her husband were arms dealers. Anna was afraid of her own shadow, and her husband seemed equally so. Susan was a difficult one to peg. The fact she and her husband had been attending sessions for so many years, it very well could be a cover up for weapons dealing, and no one would suspect otherwise. It was an extremely clever ruse. She now understood why the UEO had such a difficult time with this case.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

"Well, that was a rather interesting evening," Nathan said once they'd arrived back to their room.

"Rather a waste of time," Kristin replied. "I didn't find out much; I don't even know if I found out _anything_ , other than the fact Mr. Blanchard is hardly ever here." She shook her head. "I don't even know if he's a suspect. Just because it's happening at his colony doesn't mean he's involved. What did you think of Clarissa and Henry?"

"I'm not sure I could judge in the few minutes I spoke with them."

"Perhaps not, but did you notice how strange they seemed? Clarissa practically gave me a heart attack. They look suspiciously like Morticia and Gomez Addams, don't you think?"

Nathan laughed. "So because they dress a bit odd, you automatically think they're criminals?"

"Well, no, but… I'm just trying to give us options. I already feel like we've lost precious time. And the longer it takes us to figure things out, the longer we're going to be here."

"That's not so bad."

A brow rose. "I thought you wanted to get back as soon as possible?"

"Yes…and no." He sighed and put an arm around her shoulders. "But as long as we're here, I think we can have a bit of relaxation time as well. So we lost a day of research? It's not the end of the world. We've had a long day, so why don't we just turn in for the night? It's not worth the headache to speculate what we don't know, is it?"

"I…I guess not," she replied as she walked towards the bathroom to change. "But you get the bed tonight, remember?"

Before Nathan could protest, she shut the door behind her.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

When she re-entered the room, however, Kristin noticed Nathan had moved her pillow and blanket to the bed. "I thought I told you-"

He shook his head. "And I've thought about it, and I decided that I can't let you do that."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "You will not order me around. I've already explained-"

He crossed to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Kristin, we're both mature adults, right?"

She nodded, still too angry to speak.

"Then there's no reason we can't share the bed, is there? We both deserve a good night's sleep, and that couch is very uncomfortable."

"Very well," she replied. "I'm sorry I made you sleep on there."

"Don't worry about it. Let's just climb into bed and get some rest."

She gladly obliged and was taken aback when Nathan gave her a peck on the cheek and said, "Goodnight, dear."

She stared at him with her jaw open as he stammered an apology. "I'm sorry. It was a force of habit…not that you're a force of habit. I mean…"

She placed a finger to his lips. "It's all right. I knew what you meant. Besides, it was…nice."

Their eyes locked on one another as Nathan began to lean forward slowly. Kristin responded in kind and their lips were just about to meet when the door burst open.

They both turned to the door to see a very disoriented-looking Mr. Hamilton standing there.

Kristin stood and put her robe on over her nightgown. "Mr. Hamilton, are you all right?"

He just stared at her blankly.

"Your room is across the hall. Would you like me to help you there?"

Instead, he took a pistol from his pocket.

Kristin held up her hands.

Mrs. Hamilton then showed up from behind him, wielding a rife. "You'll come with us," she said. "And there will be no arguments."

As she and Nathan were led down the corridor, Nathan whispered to her, "I guess it's too late to ask for a divorce."

She shot him a glare. How could he joke at a time like this?


	3. Chapter 3

Kristin glanced around her, noticing that Susan and her husband were right in front of them. Well, guess that ruled them out. She then saw Anna and her husband being forced into the hallway by none other than the gun-toting Morticia and Gomez wannabes.

Kristin suppressed a gasp as poor Anna was pushed to the ground. The poor dear looked so frightened that Kristin was about to speak up when she felt Nathan place a hand on her arm, and when she made eye contact with him, he shook his head gently, his eyes pleading.

She heaved a sigh and gave a nod. Anna had already pushed herself off the floor anyway, and she knew Nathan was right. No sense in getting herself harmed…or worse, since chances were the guns weren't just for show. Really, she was helpless in the matter and watched as Jenny, Jodi, and their husbands were forced out of their rooms in the same manner.

Morticia then yelled for everyone to follow them.

As they began to move through the corridor, Nathan placed a comforting arm around Kristin's shoulders and whispered, "I promise-"

Kristin let out a soft cry as a rifle barrel was forced between them. They both spun around to see Estelle.

"You can walk on your own, can't you?" she said to Kristin.

She swallowed a nasty retort and gave a quiet nod before sharing a glance with Nathan.

"Then you'll keep your hands where I can see them," Estelle replied with a glare. And to emphasize her point, she kept the rifle barrel between them as they walked.

Kristin sighed. She now worried about where exactly they were being taken and if this would be the last time she'd see Nathan. She had a serious doubt the men and women would be held together. And once they got wherever it was they were going, what fate awaited them? She swallowed hard, hoping it was nothing too awful.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

After being led down several other corridors and a long, winding staircase, they reached a dark, damp basement of sorts. A slight shiver ran down Kristin's spine as she heard a high-pitched squeak and a scratchy scurrying from across the room as someone flipped on the light, which was just a bare bulb in the center of the ceiling.

"This will keep the rats away," Kristin heard Clarissa say as her eyes adjusted to the dim light. There were boxes upon boxes marked with various labels in black marker, indicating that obviously, the basement was used for storage.

Kristin actually felt relieved by this fact; the basement was so full of boxes, there was no room for any sort of holding cell. However, there was a door on the far side of the room, and Kristin feared that was where they were going.

Just then, Harold Hamilton pushed himself to the front of the group. One thing Kristin noticed was how agile he seemed; he was nothing like the old, feeble man they'd met when they first arrived here.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he said.

_That voice; it sounded so different…_

A millisecond later, he pulled off what appeared to be his face.

_What?_ Kristin shook her head to be sure she saw what she'd thought. On closer inspection, she realized he was wearing a mask and not a cheap department store one either. He must have hired a professional makeup artist because up until now, it was difficult to ascertain that he was not an old man.

"I'm Xavier Blanchard," he continued. "I am terribly sorry that this particular retreat had to go this way, but we have a little bug or two in our midst."

"A bug?" Susan spoke up. "That's preposterous! Why, most of us have been here before and never bothered you. I really don't care what the media says about you, Mr. Blanchard. My husband and I keep coming back here because we enjoy it, and I know the others feel the same way. I'm sure you have to be mistaken."

A brow rose. "I appreciate your loyalty, but I regret to inform you that not everyone here is what they seem." He held up a small jumble of black wires connected to little box.

Kristin's heart sank when she saw the UEO symbol on it. It was the wire she was supposed to be wearing. She had worn it faithfully, but it really made for an uncomfortable slumber, so she'd opted to take it off for the night. She didn't think it would cause any problems, and she couldn't imagine how they'd have known about it in the first place. That was until Xavier had motioned for Henry to join him in the front of the room.

"We run security on all our guests," Henry explained. "And before anyone starts saying it's illegal, we list it in the brochure in the fine print."

" _Very_ fine print," Doug scoffed. "You mean to tell me you've been invading our privacy. As soon as I get out of here, I'll be calling my lawyer."

Xavier cleared his throat, and Henry pulled a familiar-looking document out of his pocket. "You do recall signing this?"

"Yes, but-"

"Then you've already waived us of any responsibility and allowed us to listen to private conversations," Xavier replied. "I have several enemies and this is not only for my protection but for yours as well."

"Only it didn't work this time, did it?" Susan replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

"On the contrary, as I said, we found a bug or two." He looked directly at Kristin and Nathan. "Haven't we?"

Nathan held up his hands. "Let the others go; they're not involved in this."

"Oh, I don't intend to hurt them, unless of course they defy me." He then turned to Estelle. "Mother, will you escort all innocent parties to the storm cellar?"

"Of course, dear," she replied. She then turned to the group with the rifle still in her hands. "And as long as you all behave, I won't need to use this."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Kristin swallowed hard as Xavier paced in front of them while Clarissa and Henry stood on either side of Nathan and Kristin, guns pointed at them.

"Now what to do with you two…" Xavier thought out loud.

Kristin knew what she had to do. It was her fault they were in this mess to begin with. If she hadn't removed the wire, they wouldn't be in this mess now. "Please, Mr. Blanchard, if I may-"

"She has nothing to do with this," Nathan interrupted.

Kristin turned to look at him. "What?"

Ignoring her question, Nathan took a step forward. "It was all my idea; I forced her to come with me and wear the wire. She wanted nothing to do with it. So, please, whatever it is you're going to do, spare her. She's innocent."

"No, Nathan," she protested, moving to stand next to him. "We're in this together."

Nathan sighed. "Could I have a word with her for just a moment?" he asked Blanchard.

He eyed them both carefully for a few seconds before nodding. "Two minutes; make it fast."

As Blanchard stepped to the other side of the room, Clarissa and Henry blocked the stairwell so they couldn't escape.

Nathan then placed his hands on Kristin's shoulders and lowered his voice. "You're not making this very easy."

"And neither are you," she replied, matching his tone. "What are you thinking? They could kill you."

"Yeah, they could, but I'd rather it be me than the both of us."

"But it's my fault that-"

"Shh." He shook his head. "This isn't your fault. Just don't argue. If I play my cards right I'll be able to buy Commander Ford and the rescue team time."

Her brow furrowed.

"Once they figure out that the wire isn't transmitting anymore, they'll know something's wrong." He gave her a gentle kiss. "Just do as I say, okay?"

She nodded. "All…all right."

He gave her a smile. "That's my girl. Everything's going to be fine; I promise."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

As soon as she was forced into a small closet escorted by Clarissa, Kristin instantly regretted her decision. She couldn't see anything that was going on, but she could hear. And all she heard were the obvious sounds of someone being beaten and groaning: Nathan's groan.

She dropped to the floor and brought her knees to her chest as Clarissa kept a close eye on her. The younger woman hadn't spoken a word to her yet, but Kristin felt the need to break the silence…anything to drown out the awful sounds. "What is Mr. Blanchard going to do with him when he's finished?" She heard her own voice tremble.

"I don't really know," came the response. "Obviously, this is the first time we've encountered this."

Kristin nodded quietly, jumping slightly when she heard an anguished scream. She was surprised when she felt a comforting hand clasp over hers and looked up to see Clarissa next to her.

"Don't worry," she said. "I'm sure Xavier doesn't plan to kill him."

"And this is any better?" Kristin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It could be a lot worse," Clarissa pointed out. "He'll heal with time."

Kristin bit her lip in worry. She just hoped that if the cavalry was on its way, they'd hurry up. She didn't know how much longer Nathan could hold out.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

After what seemed like hours, the groaning quieted. Kristin wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not. Clarissa still sat next to her holding her hand. "Do you think it's over?" she asked after a moment.

"I'm not sure." She pushed herself up. "Perhaps I should-"

Just then, Henry burst through the door. "Clarissa, come quick!"

"Is something wrong?"

"We have company." He nodded towards Kristin. "Her friends."

"The UEO?" Clarissa said. "And Xavier plans to take them on?"

"I don't know what he plans, but he sent me to get you."

As soon as Kristin saw Crocker's face appeared from behind Henry, relief washed over her. She said a silent prayer as she was ushered to safety.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Inside the launch, Kristin found that a nearly unconscious Nathan had already been brought aboard with a small med team kneeling over him. Ben was standing vigil behind them.

"You get them back to safety, Mr. Krieg, and we'll handle the rest," Crocker told him.

"Aye, sir," Ben replied, making his way to the front of the launch.

"Wait, you're not coming with us?" Kristin asked.

"Sorry, Doc, but we need to clean up the mess here. Don't worry; everything will be fine. We'll see you soon."

As the launch doors closed, Kristin sighed. She'd heard the 'everything will be fine' line way too much. Glancing at Nathan, he didn't look fine with his swollen and bruised face. Still, Clarissa was right; he'd heal. She made her way towards the team to see if she could help in any way.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

The next morning, Kristin received a knock at her door. She opened it to find Joshua, giving her a smile.

"He's awake and asking for you," he told her. "I hope I didn't wake you."

She shook her head. "Not really; I didn't get much sleep as it is."

"I'm sure you'll feel better once you see he's fine."

A brow rose. "Fine with a broken nose and three cracked ribs?"

"Nothing he won't heal from," Joshua replied. "You need to stop being so hard on yourself. This is not your fault."

She gave a quiet nod, making no attempt to offer a reply. All she knew was she'd feel better when she saw for herself that Nathan was alive and well.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Kristin stood in the doorway of room five, pausing for a moment as she stared at the man in bed. Although the swelling had gone down, that only made the bruises stand out more.

Nathan then noticed she was standing there. "Hey, there, kiddo," he said, his voice gentle. "You look like a deer caught in headlights. Aren't you going to come inside?"

"I just…" She walked towards the side of the bed. "Are you all right?"

"I'm much better now that you're here," he told her. He then gave a nod. "I'm fine, really."

"But your nose…your face."

"You know as well as I do that this isn't the first broken nose I've had…and it probably won't be the last."

She gave a quiet nod. "Did they tell you what happened with Blanchard?"

"That he surrendered? Yeah, Joshua told me everything. He also said he had a hell of a time trying to get you to get some rest too."

She blushed. "I didn't want to leave you…especially since you're only in here because of me. You…you don't know how sorry I am," she said, her voice trembling.

Only Nathan shook his head. "I'd already told you this is not your fault."

"You shouldn't have lied to Blanchard. I was just as guilty as you were."

He sighed. "If I hadn't, we'd _both_ be lying in medbay." He brought a hand to her cheek. "I couldn't bear seeing you hurt."

She moved his hand to give it a kiss. "It isn't a picnic from my perspective either."

"I'm fine, honest." He opened his arms to her, and she accepted, hugging him gently. "Besides, it was fun while it lasted, wasn't it?"

She laughed. "Fun? I think you need your head examined."

"No, I assure you, my head is just fine." He kissed her cheek. "And so is my heart."

"So is mine…now that I'm here with you," she replied softly, giving him a soft kiss.

He smiled. "I'd do it all over again, you know."

A brow rose. "You would?"

"Indeed; I'd do anything as long as I'm with you."

She laid her head on his shoulder. "I think we can arrange that because I don't plan on leaving any time soon."


End file.
